


At Least As Deep As The Pacific Ocean

by rachoid



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: ATEEZ (Band) Are Pirates, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Blood and Injury, Bottom Kim Hongjoong, Drinking, Drowning, M/M, Minor Violence, My First AO3 Post, Near Death Experiences, Nightmares, Not Really Character Death, Not an Accurate Depiction of Pirates, One Night Stands, One Shot, Scars, Sharks, Smut, Strangers to Lovers, Top Park Seonghwa, soft pirates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:20:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26230096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rachoid/pseuds/rachoid
Summary: Rattled by a near-death experience, Captain Hongjoong finds a way to cope in the form of a captivatingly attractive man with a scar across his eye. When his one-night-stand-turned-accidental-stowaway throws himself overboard Hongjoong’s ship, however, the captain grapples with unfamiliar feelings about his loss.But there just might be more to the scarred man than Hongjoong realizes.
Relationships: Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa, mentioned Choi San/Jung Wooyoung
Comments: 27
Kudos: 216





	At Least As Deep As The Pacific Ocean

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there!  
> This is my first post here on AO3, as well as my first time publishing any of my work, but it's far from my first time writing fanfic. Considering how obsessed I am with Seongjoong, it feels very on-brand for me to be making my writing debut with a Seongjoong fic, lol.  
> I spent quite a lot of time on this fic, and it's my longest one to date. I actually got the idea for it while watching jacksepticeye play the game _Maneater,_ strangely enough. (I have a short NCT fic that was inspired by one of his _Maneater_ videos, too, and I'll probably be posting that soon!)  
> Anyway, I really hope you enjoy the fic, kudos and comments are greatly appreciated, and I hope to publish more of my work for ATEEZ as well as other groups in the future!  
>   
> [Title from Arctic Monkeys - I Wanna Be Yours]

Captain Hongjoong is at the wheel of his ship, the _Aurora,_ overlooking his crew on the deck below. It’s slightly later than midday, judging by the sun’s position in the sky above him. And it’s fairly easy to see, too, since the clouds are sparse, save for a cluster of darker ones looming far in the distance, warning of a storm they will have to try to avoid. Peeking at the nearby map, he sees a pin placed in the center of a very specific island—their next destination.

 _Not again,_ his subconscious pleads, but he doesn’t quite understand why.

Hongjoong whips his head around when he hears abrupt shouting. A frantic call of, “Captain, captain!” rises above the others, distinctly Wooyoung.

With no hesitation, he nearly leaps down to the main deck, finding Wooyoung and some of the other crew members gathered on the side of the ship, leaning over the railing.

“What’s going on?” Hongjoong questions, tone urgent.

San turns to the captain, looking slightly pale. “It’s—we caught a—a shark.”

In disbelief, Hongjoong nudges someone to the side, allowing him to look past the railing. Sure enough, there tangled in the net thrown over the side of the _Aurora_ is an impressively large shark. It’s thrashing around, but the exhaustion in its movements becomes more obvious as Hongjoong observes it. Honestly, he feels slightly bad for the creature.

“What should we do?” Mingi asks, still staring at the shark wide-eyed.

Yeosang, usually the most level-headed of the crew, thinks for a moment. “We could probably pull it up if we all tried.”

“Why would we want to pull it up?!” San squeaks, his voice rising at least an octave. Yeosang shrugs in response.

“Alright, alright,” Hongjoong sighs, slipping his trusty dagger from his pocket. “Your captain will take care of this.”

Yells of protest erupt from all the onlookers as Hongjoong swings his legs over the railing, finding a foothold to climb down the net and cut the shark loose. He simply throws his crew a stern yet reassuring glance to shut them up.

By now, the shark has stopped struggling as much, thankfully making it possible for Hongjoong to save it. He’s carefully cutting through the ropes of the net piece by piece, starting from an area close to the shark’s tail. Just when he gets to the head end and feels the net starting to break apart, the shark startles, locking eyes with Hongjoong and beginning its wild thrashing anew. The movement manages to separate the remaining sections of net, freeing the shark.

But the shock also causes Hongjoong to lose his grip, sending him tumbling down into the water nearly on top of the creature.

Panic shoots through every nerve of his body as he plunges into the cold ocean. Instinctively, he opens his eyes, adrenaline allowing him to push past the sting of the salt. It doesn’t help much, unfortunately—his surroundings blurred in shades of blue. Vaguely, his mind registers the muffled cries of his crew above the surface.

Hurriedly turning around to find the ship, though, it’s suddenly not just all blue. Now, there’s a very distinct gray shape facing him, less than an arm’s length away.

The shark.

By some miracle, his self-preservation instinct kept him from dropping the dagger when he fell, and Hongjoong is suddenly very aware of and thankful for his death grip on the weapon. In a last-ditch attempt to save himself, Hongjoong thrusts the dagger forward through the water with as much force as he can muster, aiming for the shark, his oxygen-deprived lungs burning with the effort. He feels how superficial the wound is—the properties of the water making it nigh impossible for Hongjoong to do any real damage—but a red cloud begins to emanate from a small gash on what he thinks is the shark’s eye.

For one fleeting, awful moment, he imagines that this is the end. That the great pirate Captain Kim Hongjoong will go down fighting a shark he was trying to save from suffocation in his net.

But the pain of teeth ripping into his flesh does not come. Instead, the water shifts abruptly, some force pushing him backwards. The red cloud dissipates quickly, revealing to Hongjoong an expanse of blue, only broken by a suddenly much smaller blob of gray.

With surprising clarity for the situation, he realizes that the shark is retreating.

He springs into action, swimming up and finally breaking the water’s surface, gasping for air as he refills his lungs. Somewhere above him, his crew members collectively shout his name as he flails toward the ship, clinging to the dangling remnants of the same net that betrayed him to haul himself back onboard. Flopping onto the deck, coughing up water and trembling, Hongjoong closes his eyes for a moment, letting himself feel the solid wood under him.

Suddenly, a sharp knocking sound forces him awake.

~~~/\~~~

Hongjoong groans at the rap of knuckles on wood, rubbing at his eyes before blinking them open. It doesn’t do much good, though, only a faint sliver of moonlight streaming through the window of the captain’s quarters to break up the darkness.

“Captain!” A voice calls from the other side of the door, sounding like Jongho. “Some of us are going into town for drinks if you want to join!”

“I might, give me a minute.” Hongjoong rasps back, his voice gravelly from sleep. With that, the sound of Jongho’s footsteps echoes as he walks away.

The captain sits up, running a hand through his shaggy brown hair. He had finally collapsed in his bed that afternoon after they docked at the island, staying awake the entirety of the previous night under the guise of navigating the ship. The sympathetic looks from his crew told him they knew why he was really avoiding sleep, though.

In the days since he fell into the water trying to save a shark that got caught in their net, he hasn’t been able to stop reliving the event in his dreams. And honestly, he’s not sure how many more times he can experience the moment he was certain he was about to die before he goes insane. Never has the pirate once feared the ocean, but the ocean’s creatures can certainly be terrifying.

A drink actually doesn’t sound like that bad of an idea at this point, he thinks.

He manages to fumble around and pull on his clothes, leaving the room to see his ship bathed in moonlight, a few crew members milling about here and there.

Yunho spots him from nearby, jogging over. “Jongho said to tell you that they went ahead to the tavern if you’re planning on meeting up with them.”

“I will. Did you guys get the trading done while I was asleep?”

“Yes, sir.” Yunho affirms, giving the captain a joking salute.

“Perfect. We can leave first thing in the morning then.” Hongjoong says, turning to walk away before spinning back around to add: “Oh, if I’m still asleep when it’s time to sail, just have Yeosang get us started.”

Yunho cracks a smirk. “Planning on a wild night, Cap?”

“If a ‘wild night’ involves me being able to sleep like a rock, then yes.” Hongjoong sees the brief flash of realization in his crew member’s eyes before he makes his way to the gangplank, eager to remedy his situation with copious amounts of alcohol.

~~~/\~~~

Hongjoong is not nearly drunk enough for the amount of time he and his crew have been at the tavern. Despite the bags under his eyes and the general unease from not getting a proper night’s rest, his crew members _do_ know how to make him have a good time, so he’s been unfortunately distracted from his initial goal.

Mingi slings an arm around him, collapsing into the captain. Somehow, the rest of his crew found the time to knock back drinks when he himself had not.

Yeosang, thankfully not as inebriated as the others, pulls the tall man off of Hongjoong. “I think it’s time we get out of here, yeah?”

“You go, take them back.” Hongjoong sighs. “I’m staying here a while longer.”

Yeosang looks like he wants to object, but at that moment Wooyoung stumbles into San, their faces inches apart. Hongjoong recognizes that this is the point in the night where the two will be all over each other without regard to their surroundings, and it seems that Jongho does too, as he steps in between the “secret” lovers (somehow, the two still think that no one has caught on to their relationship). Wordlessly, Jongho exchanges a glance with Yeosang before they move to lead the others out of the tavern and back to the ship, leaving Hongjoong to make up for the time he spent distracted.

It isn’t long, though, before he begins to feel eyes on him. It sends a shiver up his spine, the captain now realizing how foolish it is to be separated from his crew. Given his reputation, there are presumably a significant number of people who would want him dead. Hongjoong doesn’t think anyone would try anything, considering the town is relatively civilized and less frequented by the sort of unsavory characters that would do so, but he can never be sure when it comes to other pirates especially. He hazards a glance at his surroundings from where he’s still seated at the table his crew once claimed.

The captain relaxes slightly when he locks eyes with a lone man a few tables over, his gaze unwavering. Assuming the dark-haired man is the reason he felt like we was being watched, Hongjoong is at least confident that he has a chance against only one person. Before he can get too comfortable, though, the man stands up and begins to make his way toward Hongjoong.

He clenches his fists in his lap, ready to take a punch if it comes to it. He sure as hell isn’t going to be the one to swing first—he actually likes this tavern and doesn’t really feel like getting himself banned from it tonight. The owner might be more sympathetic if he knows Hongjoong just beat the stranger to a pulp in self-defense.

What comes next is somehow more of a shock to him than any right hook, though. The man calmly slides into the seat across from the captain, a smirk playing on his lips and something like intrigue sparkling in his dark eyes.

“Captain Hongjoong, is it?” The man asks lowly, quirking an eyebrow and placing his chin in his hand, elbow resting on the table.

If Hongjoong didn’t know any better, he would think that the interaction seemed… flirtatious. As it stands, though, he simply glares at the stranger, still expecting an attack.

“Relax,” The man chuckles. “I’m not here to hurt you, I promise. I just want to talk.” He finishes the statement with a subtle wink, and the gesture knocks Hongjoong off-guard.

Relatively assured of his safety, Hongjoong allows himself to take in the man’s appearance. His gaze rests on slender fingers cupping a sharp jawline, pouty lips, and slightly flushed cheeks. The man’s hair is dark and short, parted in a deliberate style much unlike the captain’s own bedhead. And he’s clearly no pirate, judging by his clean appearance.

Objectively, the man is attractive. And while Hongjoong is by no means immune to the man’s beauty, that’s not what draws him in the most. No, instead he finds himself captivated by the delicate scar running from the man’s right temple to the side of his nose, barely grazing his eye. It can hardly be classified as a scar when he thinks about it, though, as the wound appears to still be in the healing process. Either way, the captain is awestruck by how the cut complements the man’s features. Most people would consider a scar on the face to detract from one’s beauty, but the man in front of Hongjoong is living proof how wrong those people would be.

It seems as though the man has caught on to Hongjoong staring at the gash, because he looks troubled, almost anticipating. The captain forces himself to blink, averting his eyes.

Finally, he clears his throat, remembering the words the man spoke to him. “What… did you want to talk about, then?” He asks hesitantly.

The man visibly relaxes, humming. “Ah, nothing in particular. It just looked like you could use some company.”

“It’s not often that I find myself in the company of strangers these days.” Hongjoong admits, tipping back the almost-forgotten liquor in his glass.

“So don’t let me be a stranger.” A smirk creeps back onto the man’s face. “I’m Park Seonghwa, pleased to make your acquaintance.”

~~~/\~~~

Hongjoong manages to get in another drink, enough to give him a bit more than a pleasant buzz but not anywhere near his goal from the beginning of the night. Between Seonghwa’s fleeting touches and stories of his travels, the captain finds himself wanting to be fairly coherent for his time with the handsome man. At some point, Seonghwa slides into the seat beside Hongjoong, resting a hand on his thigh and seemingly electrifying the air between them.

So it’s really no surprise when Hongjoong ends up leading Seonghwa across the gangplank and onto the _Aurora,_ avoiding the few crew members keeping watch. He doesn’t need any teasing comments about this in the morning.

As soon as the door to the captain’s quarters is shut behind them, Seonghwa doesn’t hesitate to press Hongjoong against it, roughly connecting their lips. Hongjoong’s arms wrap around the taller man’s neck, while Seonghwa drops his hands down to the captain’s hips. His grip is firm, and Seonghwa slides his tongue into Hongjoong’s mouth with ease, tasting strangely—but not unpleasantly—salty.

When they’re both forced to pull away, the taller man directs his attention to Hongjoong’s neck, gently nipping and sucking along the delicate skin. The captain absentmindedly slides his fingers into Seonghwa’s hair as he focuses on the feeling of the other man’s lips against his pulse point and the hands slowly drifting down to his ass.

Hongjoong is painfully aware of how long it’s been since the last time he did this, since he was intimate with someone—especially someone as mesmerizing as Seonghwa. He blames this when Seonghwa latches onto a particularly sensitive spot and the captain moans loudly, his cock already achingly hard in the confines of his pants. Hongjoong feels the other’s smirk against his neck as Seonghwa moves to press a thigh between the captain’s legs, the pressure causing him to throw his head back against the door.

“Already so excited…” Seonghwa mutters, voice low and dangerous.

He tries to fight the burn of embarrassment. “It’s just been a while, okay?” The captain snaps weakly in attempt to defend himself.

“Don’t worry,” The taller man hums against Hongjoong’s ear. “I’ll take care of you.”

Caught off-guard by the sudden burn of arousal at the other’s words, Hongjoong barely registers Seonghwa maneuvering him to lay down on the bed and hovering above the captain—that is, until the taller man’s lips are back on his and a hand is sliding under his shirt. Seonghwa pulls Hongjoong’s shirt up farther and farther, stroking at the skin that’s revealed before finally gesturing for the captain to sit up as he helps to remove it completely.

Hongjoong is certainly not prepared when the taller man leans down to mouth at his collar bones and begins trailing down his chest, leaving pinkish-red marks across his skin. As Seonghwa works his way down to the captain’s lower stomach, Hongjoong is struck by how atypical it is. He expected the taller man to be no different from his previous one-night-stands, focused on getting off as quickly as possible. The captain absolutely did not expect to be treated so… tenderly. A feeling bubbles up in his chest, something soft that he hasn’t felt since before he left his hometown to sail the seas.

He isn’t having any of that tonight.

Squashing the feeling down as Seonghwa moves back to lick into his mouth again, Hongjoong reaches a hand out and pulls at the hem of the taller man’s shirt. He thankfully understands what the captain means with the gesture, but instead of complying, Seonghwa breaks the kiss and pushes Hongjoong’s hand away.

“Sorry, but I won’t be taking this off tonight.” He says, though sounding regretful about it.

Any response Hongjoong might’ve had is immediately forgotten when Seonghwa brushes a thumb over one of his hardened nipples, making him gasp. And when the taller man leans down to take the other bud in his mouth, all of Hongjoong’s higher brain functions are promptly shut down, his attention focused on _Seonghwa_. The captain has to bite his lip to hold back whines, his whole body already burning with desperation at the other man’s touch.

At this point, he’s so painfully turned on that he thinks he might explode if he doesn’t get relief soon. The taller man flicks his tongue over his nipple, and Hongjoong has had entirely enough.

“ _Ah_ —get on with it, Seonghwa.” He hisses.

The other makes an amused sound before pulling away to look at Hongjoong. “Alright then, do you have oil?”

The captain nods to the small table by his bed, on which a long-forgotten glass bottle sits. Seonghwa stretches over to grab the oil, relocating it to a spot on the bed for easier access. In the next moment, he tugs off Hongjoong’s pants, leaving the captain fully exposed in the dimly lit room.

Seonghwa’s eyes rake over Hongjoong’s body from his position above him, an almost predatory hunger in his gaze. Swallowing roughly, Hongjoong finds himself equal parts nervous and aroused by the intensity. All too quickly, the taller man wraps a hand around Hongjoong’s cock, running a thumb over the tip to spread the precum gathered there. The captain groans at the stimulation, fingers gripping at the sheets beside him. Seonghwa takes his time, lazily stroking Hongjoong’s dick, clearly relishing in the desperate whines that the captain can’t manage to hold back anymore.

When the taller man pulls his hand away to grab the bottle of oil, Hongjoong almost whimpers. It isn’t long before a slick finger is dipping down to press at his entrance, though.

“Okay?” Seonghwa asks, and the captain nods.

Hongjoong tenses as Seonghwa’s slender finger slowly starts inching into him. He takes a few steadying breaths, feeling the wet slide of the oiled digit and reacquainting himself with the sensation of being stretched. The other man works him open methodically, his unoccupied hand moving back to Hongjoong’s dick. Once he’s sure the captain can take it, he adds another finger, then another, until Hongjoong is panting with three of Seonghwa’s digits curling deliciously inside of him.

The captain throws his head back as Seonghwa teases his prostate, the taller man’s hand still fisting his leaking cock. From the few glances Hongjoong gets of him, Seonghwa seems to be enjoying the view, and that thought only serves to get the captain even more dangerously worked up.

“Seonghwa,” Hongjoong tries, the name coming out too whiny for his liking. “I’m— _ah_ —good.”

He only has time to briefly lament the loss of Seonghwa’s fingers before he’s greeted by the sight of the taller man shimmying out of his pants and stroking himself, coating his cock in a thorough amount of oil. Seonghwa lines himself up, Hongjoong feeling the tip press against his hole before pushing in slowly. They both groan as he works himself deeper into Hongjoong, the captain noticing the sheen of sweat collecting on Seonghwa’s brow in the moonlight.

“So tight.” Seonghwa moans when he finally bottoms out.

He waits as Hongjoong relaxes, adjusting to the fullness. In the meantime, the taller man leans down to sloppily connect their mouths, the kiss messier and more lust-driven than those before.

“ _Move._ ” Hongjoong croaks out as Seonghwa pulls away, the captain already eagerly rocking his hips back.

Seonghwa starts off slow, barely sliding out of Hongjoong before pressing back in deeply. The drag of the taller man’s cock inside him is incredible, and Hongjoong chokes on a curse. He admires the way Seonghwa’s brow furrows, breathy noises falling from his lips as he thrusts into the captain more roughly. Seonghwa grips his thighs, pressing them closer to Hongjoong’s chest and hitting an even deeper angle.

The captain cries out as Seonghwa finds his prostate. He can’t help the unrestrained moans and curses coming from his mouth at every thrust of the taller man’s cock inside him. Hongjoong instinctively wraps his legs around the other, hooking his ankles over his lower back and pressing the man impossibly deeper into him. Now firmly gripping Seonghwa’s shirt as he leans over the captain, Hongjoong can feel his climax fast approaching with every snap of the other’s hips.

Apparently with Seonghwa inside of him he resorts to one-word statements, because the only thing he manages to choke out is, “ _Close_.”

Seonghwa reaches between them, fisting Hongjoong’s dick along with his increasingly sloppy thrusts. A few more strokes and Hongjoong is sent over the edge with a cry, releasing onto his stomach and Seonghwa’s hand, the other man tensing a moment later. Seonghwa presses deeply inside of him as he comes, mouth falling open with breathy moans and eyes fluttering shut in a blissful expression.

Panting and sweaty, the two attempt to catch their breath, Seonghwa pulling out and flopping next to Hongjoong on the bed. The captain eventually sits up to find his discarded shirt and uses it to wipe himself off as much as possible. He turns to see Seonghwa stretched out on his bed in the moonlight, looking absolutely ethereal.

He can’t find it in him to kick the man out tonight. So instead, Hongjoong climbs under the sheets. The movement startles Seonghwa, who gives him a questioning glance.

“You can stay here,” The captain mumbles tiredly. “if you want.”

The man simply slides into place beside him in lieu of an answer. Hongjoong is too exhausted to object when Seonghwa wraps an arm around him from behind, pressing their bodies together. A comforting warmth spreads through him as he drifts out of consciousness.

Somehow, Hongjoong still manages to achieve his goal of a dreamless sleep.

~~~/\~~~

The captain forces his eyes open, lids still heavy. His sight is blurry from sleep, but at least he feels more well-rested than he has in a few days. And he’s suddenly _very_ awake when his vision clears and a devastatingly attractive, scarred face comes into view, inches from his own. With that, the memories from last night fall into place as Seonghwa smiles at him lazily, his previously neat hair now more along the lines of Hongjoong’s messy locks.

Seonghwa pulls Hongjoong to him. “Did you sleep well, Captain?” He asks, voice deep and gravelly from sleep.

“Surprisingly, yes.” Hongjoong answers before scrunching his nose at the realization of how he was addressed. “But I’m not your captain, so don’t call me that.”

“Alright then.” The other says easily, chuckling.

It’s only when Hongjoong can feel the rumble of laugher from Seonghwa against his own chest that he realizes the strangeness of their interaction. Waking up next to the man smiling at him with sunshine streaming through the window and asking about how he slept is _not_ typical one-night-stand behavior.

Wanting nothing more than to melt back into Seonghwa’s arms and enjoy the gentle motion of the ship as it glides through the waves is not Hongjoong’s typical reaction to the morning after, either.

Wait, hold on—motion of the ship?

Hongjoong’s eyes widen as he focuses and… yes, the ship is definitely moving. Somehow, he had completely forgotten he told Yunho to set sail without him if he was still asleep. And that means he just accidentally forced Seonghwa into taking an unwanted trip to another island.

He groans, reluctantly hauling himself out of Seonghwa’s grasp to pull an outfit from his pile of fresh clothes. The other man follows his lead, tugging on his still relatively unscathed pants from the night before. Just to confirm, Hongjoong glances out the small window in the captain’s quarters and is met with an endless expanse of ocean. He turns to Seonghwa.

“I’ve got bad news, I’m afraid.” The captain starts.

The other man’s brows knit together in concern. “What is it?”

“I might have forgotten that I told my crew to start toward our next destination this morning whether or not I was awake.” He says, looking at Seonghwa apologetically. “So it looks like you’re getting an accidental vacation… sorry.”

It takes a moment, but Seonghwa responds. “How… how long will it take to get there?”

“A week at most, it’s a pretty quick trip. Don’t worry—I’ll arrange passage back to the other island for you when we arrive.” Hongjoong reassures him.

Seonghwa doesn’t look very reassured, though. In fact, he looks pretty worried. The captain takes a step closer to the other, some unknown urge to comfort him taking control. He barely manages to stop himself from embracing the taller man.

“Hey, it’ll be okay. I’ll get us there as fast as I can. Or is there something else?” He questions, a softness in his voice that’s foreign even to himself.

Seonghwa stares unblinkingly at a point behind the captain for a slightly concerning amount of time, but when his eyes meet Hongjoong’s again, any trace of worry is wiped away and replaced with a blank look. “No, nothing else. It’s fine.” He says, but his voice comes out strained.

Despite the man clearly keeping something from Hongjoong, the captain decides not to push it. Instead, he reaches out to pat Seonghwa’s arm. “Come on then, I guess I might as well introduce you to the rest of my crew.”

~~~/\~~~

After getting over the embarrassment and teasing from his crew members about the situation, Hongjoong finds himself enjoying Seonghwa’s presence on the _Aurora_ more than he’s willing to admit.

Although he insists he’s never been a pirate, Seonghwa knows a lot about the sea. He’s more knowledgeable about sailing than Hongjoong would’ve expected, too, and what he doesn’t know he picks up easily from the captain’s instruction. Interestingly enough, Seonghwa also manages to get along well with the rest of the crew, not allowing Jongho to intimidate him or Wooyoung to annoy him with his loud voice and incessant questions. Even Yeosang warms easily to the newcomer, which doesn’t happen often.

Aside from that, though, he and Hongjoong grow closer with alarming ease. Within only a few days of Seonghwa being on the ship, they fall into a comfortable routine. They spend most of their time in each other’s company—whether it’s just the two of them, with Hongjoong explaining the intricacies of navigation, or with the rest of the crew, demonstrating to Seonghwa their favorite games and sea shanties.

And oh, the captain had forgotten how nice it is to have someone to share a bed with. Maybe it’s just the amazing sex tiring him out, but Hongjoong doesn’t have nightmares when Seonghwa collapses beside him and pulls him close afterwards, either.

On the fourth night of their journey, Hongjoong is standing at the wheel of the _Aurora_ with Seonghwa by his side—an increasingly common occurrence. It’s a beautiful night: the sea is calm, the ship steady, and the clear sky stretching out above them dotted with endless stars and an almost-full moon. Clean white light shines down on them, bouncing off of the waves and bathing the ship in a kind of peaceful serenity. Most of the crew were allowed to turn in earlier, leaving the upper deck bare and quiet save for the sounds of the ocean around them. Usually, Hongjoong would prefer to be completely alone at a moment like this, but the presence beside him tonight seems to only add to the feeling of ease and comfort.

“Nights like this are my favorite.” The captain whispers, confident that the man next to him can still hear.

“It’s beautiful.” Seonghwa hums softly, clearly enamored by the scene. “Calm.”

Somehow, it’s not that difficult for Hongjoong to tear his focus away from the sea to glance at Seonghwa. The sight of the taller man’s profile, with his windswept hair and dark eyes reflecting the moonlight, is enough to take the captain’s breath away. Even now, Hongjoong is drawn to the way the light casts shadows on the cut along Seonghwa’s eye, the skin finally beginning to smooth and melt back together.

Without thinking, Hongjoong slowly reaches out and cups the other man’s cheek, running his thumb gently along the wound. Seonghwa turns to the captain with a quizzical expression.

“How did you get this?” Hongjoong asks quietly, and he feels Seonghwa tense under his palm.

From their close proximity, the captain can see something like conflict in the other’s eyes before he speaks. “Someone swiped at me with a dagger and managed to graze it. I was in the wrong place… I deserved it, really.”

The statement doesn’t sit right with Hongjoong, but he chooses to ignore it for now. “You’re lucky it wasn’t any closer to your eye.”

“I guess so.”

It’s now that the captain notices they’ve unintentionally closed the distance between them, their faces mere inches apart, with Seonghwa leaning down ever so slightly to compensate for their height difference. Hongjoong’s heart skips a beat as he watches Seonghwa’s tongue dart out to swipe over his lips, anticipating. The captain licks his own reflexively, still cupping the taller man’s cheek, before being the one to finally surge forward and slot their mouths together.

They’ve shared many kisses since the night Hongjoong brought Seonghwa back to his ship, but something about this one is different. It’s slow and gentle, complimentary to the lull of the sea around them. And when Seonghwa puts a hand on the captain’s waist and pulls him closer, it doesn’t ignite the same burn of desire in Hongjoong that he’s used to experiencing. Instead, it’s something more fluttering and content, reminiscent of the strange feeling he gets in his chest every time he wakes up to Seonghwa smiling groggily beside him.

In that moment, Hongjoong realizes that he’s fallen too deep for Seonghwa—so much deeper than he’s allowed himself to fall in a long time. Maybe it doesn’t scare him as much as he thought it would, either.

They pull away slowly, reluctantly. For a while, Hongjoong simply admires Seonghwa and the way Seonghwa looks at _him._ The captain runs his thumb over the cut again.

“I don’t know what happened, but I know you didn’t deserve it.”

Seonghwa seems shocked by that, a confusing number of emotions flashing in his eyes that suddenly shine more in the moonlight.

Finally, Hongjoong quirks a corner of his mouth into a playful smirk. “I have to admit, though,” He says. “I do like it. I think it really suits you.”

“Of course you do.” Seonghwa chuckles breathily, visibly relaxing, and Hongjoong grins back at him. This time, Seonghwa wraps both of his arms around the captain and embraces him before pressing their lips together again.

Just like the sea, Seonghwa pulls him deeper.

~~~/\~~~

Hongjoong wakes up unusually early on the sixth day of their journey to a still warm but very empty bed, and he feels a pang of sadness at the sight before realizing how out of place it is. He had noticed Seonghwa acting strangely the day before, but he just chalked it up to being anxious since they ran into a patch of fog and temporarily veered off-course, likely extending their travel time by another one or two days. This, though, is definitely odd, as the captain hasn’t known Seonghwa to be an early riser. And he especially shouldn’t be after the late night the two had—Seonghwa pushing Hongjoong to his limits and practically devouring him like a man starved.

The captain’s body protests as he raises out of bed, searching for and pulling on his hastily discarded clothes in the early morning light. Stepping outside, Hongjoong scans the deck and sees a few of his crew members already awake before spotting Seonghwa. He’s looking down off the side of the ship, at the same spot where the net that caught the shark was previously attached. Upon closer inspection, Hongjoong can see the white-knuckled grip the man has on the railing and the intense expression on his face as he gazes into the ocean.

“You okay?” The captain greets as he approaches.

Seonghwa blinks a few times, snapping out of whatever trance he was in. He’s pale and fidgety, and his eyes dart between Hongjoong’s face and the sea.

“No, I’m not.” Seonghwa rasps after a moment, his voice scratchy.

Not expecting the honest admission, Hongjoong only grows more concerned. “What—”

Cutting him off, Seonghwa cups his cheeks and hastily presses their lips together. The taller man licks into Hongjoong’s mouth eagerly, as if he’s trying to memorize every crevice. Hongjoong carefully reciprocates, trying to convey something of reassurance as he reaches up to place a hand over one of Seonghwa’s.

It seems like it takes a great effort for Seonghwa to pull away, and when he does, his eyes meet Hongjoong’s with a profound sadness. The taller man swallows harshly.

“I’m sorry, Hongjoong.” He says finally, tone grim and remorseful.

Before the captain can even open his mouth to ask why he’s apologizing, Seonghwa turns and launches himself over the railing, diving into the ocean below.

Everything feels like it’s going in slow motion and double speed at the same time. Hongjoong cries out in shock and grasps futilely at the air, more out of instinct than anything. A distant _splash_ echoes mockingly in his ears. He leans over the railing and squints against the light reflecting from the waves, desperately scanning the water for any sign of the man that was just kissing him moments ago.

 _"Seonghwa!”_ He screams when he finds nothing but an expanse of blue, his voice breaking. It’s probably a good thing that Yunho and San are nearby, rushing over and holding the captain firmly to keep him from toppling off the ship as well.

“ _What the fuck?!”_ He repeats weakly as Yunho and San drag him away from the edge, the tears prickling at his eyes beginning to spill over. _“What the fuck, Seonghwa?!”_

The captain thinks he sees Mingi and Jongho run over and look down in a last attempt to find the scarred man, but the hands around him relax their grip and he crumples to the floor. Cheeks wet, Hongjoong mumbles _“Why?”_ to himself over and over as he struggles to understand the situation— because it’s not every day that the once one-night-stand that he’d started developing feelings for jumps overboard his ship. Realizing what being stranded in open ocean most likely means for the man’s fate, the captain chokes on another sob, his face buried in his arms against the deck.

It was Seonghwa that threw himself into the sea, but why does Hongjoong feel like he’s the one drowning?

~~~/\~~~

As if the weather empathizes with Hongjoong’s mood, they run into a storm later that day. The captain would be grateful for the distraction if it weren’t for the fact that, in trying to avoid the worst of it, he ends up adding even more travel time onto their journey.

When the _Aurora_ is finally docked at their destination, Hongjoong has had enough time to agonize over and replay the events of the last week that he just feels numb. His confusion has dulled to a simmer, the captain coming to terms with the fact that the only person who could explain Seonghwa’s actions is the man himself—and said man is inevitably dead by now, his corpse littering the bottom of the ocean somewhere.

As a pirate, Hongjoong is no stranger to death or grief, but he can’t remember a loss ever affecting him quite like this. Because really, he definitely _liked_ Seonghwa—more than anyone he’s met in recent years. And it’s just his luck that the first man to give him some kind of romantic feelings since he left home is resigned to a fate in Davy Jones’ Locker.

He took a day to hole up in the captain’s quarters before his crew ambushed him and forced him out, feeding him and allowing him to slip back into his daily routine. Since then, Hongjoong thinks he’s done well at distracting himself, throwing himself into controlling the ship’s operations when he can and retreating to the common area below deck to play cards with his crew when there’s nothing else to do.

The days aren’t the problem, though—it’s the nights. Without Seonghwa’s arms wrapping around him, Hongjoong’s nightmares are back, renewed and horrible. Even if the captain can avoid his feelings while he’s awake, his unconscious mind conjures up nonsensical yet terrifying scenes where he watches helplessly from the side of his ship as Seonghwa is ripped apart by massive sharks. He thought it was bad enough _before,_ when it was himself in danger in his dreams.

Like usual, Hongjoong wakes with a start, his heart pounding against his ribcage. He immediately wipes away the tears he knows are streaking down his cheeks. Exhausted after spending their first day docked at the island trading and restocking supplies, the captain had crashed into bed before the sun was fully below the horizon. Clearly that was a mistake, as a glance out the window reveals the moon still high in the sky, nowhere near a time anyone should be just waking up.

Hongjoong lets his head fall back onto the pillow softly. What he wouldn’t give to be able to simply go back to sleep, as he’s certainly not rested—a deep fatigue clinging to his bones from how little he’s slept in the past few days. Shutting his eyes, though, he knows that will be impossible, as he can’t shake the vivid images from his latest nightmare.

Left with no better alternative, the captain reluctantly gets up and makes himself presentable to wander into town.

~~~/\~~~

Choosing to take a stroll around a busy town in the dead of night probably isn’t the smartest thing for a wanted pirate captain to do, but maybe Hongjoong wants a fight. It’s been too long since they’ve encountered another ship to plunder, and the captain’s trusty dagger is beginning to feel heavy in his pocket. But really, Hongjoong just wants to get lost in the town, since it’s one of his favorites among their list of usual stops. It’s one of the largest, too, with a number of dark alleys and paths that the captain remembers being hopelessly confused by the first time he came here.

Since then, though, Hongjoong has memorized the layout on his visits to the town, and he’s certainly thankful for that fact when he hears soft footsteps behind him as he’s strolling through a narrow alley. He doesn’t dare look back, subtly pressing his palm to where his dagger is hidden as he carefully calculates his next move.

Picking up his pace and hearing the person behind him do the same, the captain makes a series of quick, confusing turns down the connecting alleys before ducking around a corner. He knows he’s successfully evaded the stalker when he sees a dark figure at the end of the alley he just came down frantically looking around, searching for him.

Suddenly, he gets an idea. Why not have a little more fun with his would-be attacker?

Hongjoong continues in the direction he was heading, turning down another alley that he knows will make a loop and lead him back to the path behind where the stalker is standing.

Sure enough, the captain peeks around the corner to see what looks like a man in the shadows, glancing around in the same spot Hongjoong left him. With the element of surprise on his side, Hongjoong pulls out his dagger and rushes the man, pressing him against the wall of one of the shops lining the alley. The man whimpers as Hongjoong holds the dagger against his neck.

“Please, don’t.” The man rasps, and Hongjoong feels ice run through his veins at the familiarity of the voice.

Like some kind of divine intervention, the clouds overhead move to allow moonlight into the alley, illuminating the man’s face.

Sharp jawline, neatly parted dark hair, full lips. And a newly-healed scar running from his right temple to the side of his nose, barely missing his eye.

Hongjoong pulls away like he’s been burned. He stares unblinkingly at the man in front of him, thinking he’s still dreaming and waiting for something awful to happen. Because otherwise that would mean he’s just seen someone come back from the _dead._

But then, the man’s eyes are opening and focusing on Hongjoong. All at once, his expression melts into one of recognition, the softness in his gaze making the captain’s heart clench, and Hongjoong knows he isn’t dreaming.

 _"Hongjoong.”_ Seonghwa breathes.

The captain gulps. “Seonghwa—what—” He stammers, trying to find his words. “You’re… alive?”

“I am. I know it’s shocking, but I can explain—”

In the days after Seonghwa jumped overboard, an explanation was all Hongjoong could’ve hoped for. But now, with the man standing in front of him, he finds that he doesn’t really care anymore.

Hongjoong doesn’t hesitate, pocketing his dagger and reaching out to Seonghwa. He hastily pulls the taller man’s face closer before crashing their lips together, relishing in the familiar saltiness. Seonghwa responds just as eagerly, grasping Hongjoong’s waist to press their bodies flush with each other and deepening the kiss. They pull away after a long moment, panting, but their hands remain firmly on the other’s body.

And Hongjoong can’t take it anymore. “ _Fuck,_ I missed you. You scared the hell out of me, Park Seonghwa.”

“Hongjoong…” Seonghwa tries softly, but the captain stops him.

“Just let me say what I need to say, because I’ve spent the last few days thinking you were dead when I was ready to jump in the water with you after knowing you for less than a week.”

Hongjoong sighs before continuing. “What I mean is, I _really_ like you. As in, I want to take you as a member of my crew and travel with you and wake up with your arms around me. It’s strange for me, and I don’t know how it happened, but I fell way too deeply for you.”

Slowly, a fond smile spreads across Seonghwa’s lips. “You’re too soft for a pirate.” He says playfully.

“You say that as if I didn’t have my dagger against your neck just a moment ago.” The captain deadpans.

Seonghwa chuckles and leans in to press their foreheads together. “I really like you, too. And I would love to join your crew.” He pauses. “But there’s something you have to know about me first, so you can see if you still want me to or not.”

“I’m a pirate, Seonghwa. I promise you there’s nothing you can tell me you’ve done that I’d be shocked by, or that I haven’t done ten times over.”

Seonghwa carefully separates from Hongjoong. “Come with me.” He says, tugging the captain by the hand, out of the alley and back toward the docks.

~~~/\~~~

Seonghwa finally stops and turns to Hongjoong when they reach a secluded area by the shore, off to the side of the docks. He drops their linked hands.

“There’s no easy way to say this, so I’m just going to do it.” Seonghwa starts. “I’m… a shark. Or, well—I can turn into one.”

Hongjoong blinks. “What?”

“I can show you. Just watch me.”

With that, Seonghwa backs away and turns to the water, wading fully clothed into the shallows without stopping when it gets deeper. Hongjoong watches anxiously when he can only make out Seonghwa’s head above the surface. Then suddenly, Seonghwa dips his head down and the captain panics for a moment, the scene too reminiscent of some of his worst nightmares. He’s already stepped a foot into the tide, soaking his shoe, when he sees it.

In the same spot is the dark silhouette of a shark fin illuminated by the moonlight.

Hongjoong stands frozen as he watches it move back and forth, getting closer to the shore. Just when the captain could probably make out the shape of the shark underwater if he had the light of day, the fin disappears as quickly as it appeared.

And in its place emerges Seonghwa, slowly rising from the water to approach Hongjoong, dripping wet, with his clothes clinging to his body.

Finally, Seonghwa stands fully in front of the captain again. “If you want a closer look, we’ll have to wait until daytime. But for now… this is it.”

Hongjoong is pretty sure the stunned look on his face isn’t flattering in the slightest. He’s once again reconsidering the idea that this might be a dream, just another fucked up way his mind decided to merge two traumatizing events. But no—if this were one of his nightmares, things would not be going so well. Seonghwa would not still be alive and staring at Hongjoong like he’s terrified of what the captain’s going to say next. Just when Hongjoong manages to close his jaw, finally starting to believe what he’s seeing is real, Seonghwa turns his head slightly, allowing the scar on his right side to catch the light.

And with that, Hongjoong’s sleep deprived brain manages to make the connection. He reels, stumbling backwards slightly. Seonghwa’s face falls.

“ _Y-you’re_ the shark. The one that got caught in our net.” The captain barely manages to choke out.

“I am. I’m so sorry, Hongjoong.” Seonghwa’s says, voice breaking. He looks down.

Maybe Hongjoong _is_ too soft, because something about hearing the taller man on the verge of tears snaps him out of whatever shock he was in. In that moment, he realizes this is still Seonghwa—still the one-night-stand that he accidentally kidnapped; still the lover that left red marks all over him when they had sex; still the man that got along with his whole crew like it was meant to be; and still the one person that could make Hongjoong fall so deep as to nearly break him when he thought he was dead.

The captain steps forward, cupping Seonghwa’s wet cheeks and feeling the moisture from the other man transfer to his own clothes. He tilts Seonghwa’s head up to look him in the eyes and brushes his thumb over the scar like he remembers doing that night on the _Aurora._

“Why are you apologizing? I’m the one that hurt you.” Hongjoong’s voice comes out as a strained whisper. “I did this. I’m sorry.”

“You were trying to get me out and I—I didn’t realize. I saw you with the dagger and I panicked, and you fell in the water.”

“But you didn’t hurt me—”

Seonghwa’s eyes grow more intense. “I _did,_ though. When I was on the ship, San made a comment about how you looked like you were doing better with me around, and I pressed him about it. He told me about the incident—and that you had been having nightmares about it, to the point where you were barely sleeping.”

“That’s true.” Hongjoong sighs. “But I’m still sorry for what I did.”

“It’s fine. I told you, I deserved it.”

Hongjoong glares at the taller man. “And I told _you_ that you _didn’t_ deserve it, and I still mean it.”

“I just… hate that it happened.” Seonghwa says after a moment, and Hongjoong gets an idea.

“Well, you know… San was right.”

Seonghwa looks at him in confusion, so the captain continues. “I was doing better with you around. For some reason, sleeping next to you was enough to keep my nightmares at bay.” Hongjoong quirks a corner of his mouth into a smirk. “So, if you want to make it up to me, you can just join my crew and sleep with me so that I don’t have nightmares.”

“You still want me to?” Seonghwa asks, looking at the captain incredulously.

“Of course.” Hongjoong replies sincerely, and he’s suddenly engulfed by the taller man pressing their bodies and lips together.

He doesn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around Seonghwa’s neck as the other licks into his mouth, paying no attention to the way his clothes are being further soaked by their increased contact.

Seonghwa pulls away just enough to mutter, “Does the agreement include the other kind of sleeping with you, as well?”

“Not necessarily, but I wouldn’t be opposed to it.” Hongjoong hums lowly.

At that, Seonghwa reconnects their lips with fervor, his hands roaming the captain’s body. Hongjoong threads his fingers through the taller man’s hair as Seonghwa trails kisses down his neck before latching onto a point, sucking at it.

Hongjoong barely conceals a moan. “ _Fuck,_ Seonghwa—”

He feels a hand tap at his thigh. “Jump.” Seonghwa commands, his breath tickling at the captain’s ear.

So, he moves his hands to Seonghwa’s shoulders and does just that, wrapping his legs around the taller man’s waist as his hands hold Hongjoong’s thighs securely. The captain busies himself with returning the favor, teasingly nipping at Seonghwa’s ear and neck as the other guides them toward the _Aurora._

~~~/\~~~

They somehow manage to sneak onboard without any of the crew catching and (reasonably) questioning them. Maybe Hongjoong should be more concerned about security on his ship considering that they’ve managed to do so twice now, but he really can’t be bothered—not when Seonghwa is pushing open the door to the captain’s quarters, tossing him onto the bed, and positioning his slightly damp body on top of Hongjoong.

Seonghwa picks up right where he left off, attaching his lips to Hongjoong’s neck. The captain pants, grinding his hips up into Seonghwa’s desperately and causing their clothed erections to press together, drawing a low moan from both of them. Taking the initiative, Seonghwa tugs at Hongjoong’s clothes and manages to get them all off in record time.

Now splayed out naked under the taller man, Hongjoong is reminded of their first night together.

Hongjoong tries grasping at the hem of Seonghwa’s shirt in a silent question. He had never taken it off when they had sex before, and the captain wants to know if it’s related to the secret he revealed. To his surprise, Seonghwa complies easily, pulling the fabric over his head.

He has to squint in the moonlight, but Hongjoong’s eyes rest on three slits in the skin on either side of the other man’s torso, where his ribs are located. Seonghwa sits back to let him get a better view.

“They’re gills. They let me breathe underwater even without changing to my shark form.”

Hongjoong’s right hand hovers in the air between them. “Can I?”

Seonghwa nods. The captain reaches out, brushing his fingers over the slits partially covered by flaps of skin. It’s an odd feeling, but not terribly so. His hand lingers over the other man’s ribs for a moment longer before his gaze drops to Seonghwa’s stomach, taking in the defined abdominal muscles.

He moves his hand to rest just above the other’s navel, causing Seonghwa to shiver at the touch and sending a wave of desire through Hongjoong at the sight and feel of his artfully sculpted physique. Absentmindedly tracing the outlines of the muscles, Hongjoong gives the man above him a heated look.

And that’s all it takes for Seonghwa to lean down again and slip his tongue into the captain’s mouth. The taller man’s hand drifts further down—caressing Hongjoong’s stomach, hips, and thighs before finally wrapping around his dick—and he swallows the whine that Hongjoong produces.

They both get worked up again easily, and it isn’t long before Seonghwa is reaching for the familiar bottle of oil and coating his fingers with it.

“Ready?” He asks Hongjoong, his clean hand rubbing at the captain’s thigh.

“Yes, _fuck—”_

Hongjoong sucks in a breath as the tip of Seonghwa’s finger breaches him. Slowly, the taller man presses farther in, letting him adjust to the stretch. When the burn lessens, one finger turns to two, and two turns to three, until Seonghwa’s digits are dragging in and out of him with ease. Seonghwa’s fingers curl into his prostate, and Hongjoong cries out obscenely, arching his back off the bed.

Panting, the captain looks through lidded eyes to see Seonghwa, his dark gaze fixed on Hongjoong, drinking in the sight before him. It’s that same near-predatory look that has never failed to get Hongjoong aroused beyond belief whenever it’s directed at him—and it certainly does the job now, as he feels his aching cock throb against his stomach.

“Seonghwa.” The captain rasps boldly. “Can I ride you?”

He feels Seonghwa stutter in his motions slightly. “If—if you want to.”

Hongjoong doesn’t hesitate. “I do.” He says breathily, starting to sit up and press a palm against the taller man’s chest.

Seonghwa retracts his fingers and quickly tugs off his pants before they swap positions, Hongjoong moving to straddle his hips as he lays down. When he settles into position, Hongjoong grinds down experimentally, Seonghwa’s cock slipping along the cleft of his ass.

“ _Fucking hell.”_ Seonghwa hisses, his hands finding a grip on Hongjoong’s thighs.

The captain tries not to smirk too much as he reaches for the bottle of oil, pouring some in his palm and coating the taller man’s dick thoroughly. He gives it a few more teasing pumps before raising his hips to position himself over it, guiding it to his hole.

Hongjoong’s whole body shudders as he sinks down, gasping at the heat and stretch of Seonghwa’s length filling him inch by inch. The drag along his walls and the throb of Seonghwa’s nails digging crescent-shaped marks into his thighs is almost too much, his breath catching in his throat.

When he finally bottoms out, the two both moan at the sensation. Hongjoong’s eyes flutter shut as he adjusts, marveling at how deep the taller man’s cock feels inside him with the new position.

“You look so amazing like this.” Seonghwa’s voice comes from beneath him, heavy with desire.

The captain pries his lids open again, meeting Seonghwa’s fiery gaze and admiring him in turn. His hair is still slightly damp and pushed back out of his face, a thin sheen of sweat collecting on his brow. He’s flushed elegantly, and his eyes are fixed on Hongjoong in a combination of lust and awe.

Hongjoong braces his hands against the other’s chest, leaning down to connect their lips sloppily. He doesn’t indulge the kiss for long, though, nibbling at Seonghwa’s lower lip as he rights himself. Carefully, the captain lifts himself off of the taller man’s dick before sinking back down languidly.

As the pleasure increases, Hongjoong raises his hips farther and farther off of Seonghwa’s cock before pushing back down, until he’s pulling off completely and taking the entire length in one motion. The room echoes with Seonghwa’s breathy grunts and Hongjoong’s staccato whines, and along with the wet noise of skin on skin, they join to create a beautifully intimate melody.

It’s then that Seonghwa shifts, bending his knees and planting his feet on the bed. He thrusts his hips up to meet Hongjoong’s, causing the captain to nearly collapse into the taller man’s chest as Seonghwa’s dick splits him open. He cries out as Seonghwa takes control, pounding into him with vigor. Hongjoong nearly sobs, pressure building with every brush against his prostate.

He reaches down between their bodies to stroke himself as he rocks back into Seonghwa’s thrusts. Gradually, he feels Seonghwa’s rhythm begin to falter, his own climax fast approaching.

 _"Coming—”_ Hongjoong barely chokes out before another hard thrust sends him over the edge and he spills onto his hand and the other’s stomach, Seonghwa’s name on his lips.

He’s just barely coming down from his high when Seonghwa stills, pushing Hongjoong down and burying himself deep inside the captain as he comes. They both curse, Hongjoong shuddering at the hot liquid filling him up.

The captain manages to find the strength to lift himself off of the taller man, settling beside him, his limbs heavy and his mind foggy. He vaguely feels the bed shift before a gentle hand is swiping fabric across his skin, wiping him off.

He opens his eyes when he’s finally nestled under the sheets, Seonghwa’s arms wrapped around him. Seonghwa is looking back at him with lidded eyes and a content smile, and Hongjoong returns it with one of his own before leaning in to place a soft kiss to the taller man’s lips.

The captain drifts into a dreamless sleep easily again in Seonghwa’s embrace.

~~~/\~~~

“Hey Captain, should we—WHAT THE FUCK?!”

Hongjoong winces at the ear-splitting scream that jolts him out of his slumber. It startles Seonghwa next to him, too, and the captain sits up to see Wooyoung standing at the door to the room, looking for all the world like he’s just seen a ghost. To him at least, he has, and Hongjoong wonders if he also looked like that when he first saw Seonghwa again.

The sheets shift as Seonghwa sits up beside him to face his fellow crew member. “Nice to see you too, Wooyoung.”

Wooyoung’s eyes grow impossibly larger as his gaze snaps to where the sheets have fallen away to reveal Seonghwa’s shirtless form. Hongjoong doesn’t think he’s ever seen his second-youngest crew member so speechless.

“Go gather the rest of the crew in the kitchen for breakfast and an explanation.” Hongjoong instructs.

It takes a moment, but Wooyoung manages to collect himself enough to turn and leave, closing the door behind him.

“This’ll be fun.” Seonghwa says, and the two fall back against the bed, laughing.

After they calm down, Seonghwa slinks his arms around Hongjoong, pulling him closer. “Did you sleep well, Captain? No nightmares?” He asks, just a hint of a smirk on his lips.

“I don’t know how you do it, but you seem to be my personal nightmare repellant.” Hongjoong sighs fondly, unbelievably grateful to have gotten a full night’s sleep again.

“You didn’t scold me for calling you Captain this time.”

“Well, I guess I’ll have to get used to it now, won’t I?”

“Ah, right.” Seonghwa says, tone slightly more serious. “There’s one other thing I should let you know about if I’m going to be part of your crew.”

“What?”

“You know how I suddenly jumped into the ocean?” The taller man starts.

Hongjoong scoffs. “Yeah, I think I remember it.”

Because it’s not like the event caused him to be plagued with terrifyingly vivid nightmares for the three days in between it and discovering Seonghwa was actually alive, or anything. He’s not going to tell Seonghwa that, though. Not yet at least.

“Well,” Seonghwa continues. “I’ll probably do that every once in a while, just to change into my shark form. I don’t _have_ to, but if I go for long periods of time without doing it, it gets really uncomfortable. It takes about a week before I start to go a little insane.”

The captain blinks, processing the information. “That explains a lot, then. At least I’ll know why you’re doing it next time.” At this, the taller man squeezes Hongjoong tightly.

“I’m sorry if I shocked you before.” Seonghwa pouts, and Hongjoong leans in to give him a peck on the lips.

Pulling away, he slides his hand absentmindedly over the taller man’s side, fingers brushing across his gills. “Don’t worry about it.” Hongjoong reassures him, and he means it, because it doesn’t matter anymore—not when Seonghwa is holding him, his eyes shining in the morning sun. “Now come on, I bet the rest of the crew is thinking Wooyoung’s lost it.”

They both chuckle at the thought, reluctantly untangling their limbs and moving to get ready.

Later, since the crew wants proof, Hongjoong watches along with the others as Seonghwa makes a running leap and elegantly dives over the railing of the ship into the ocean below. The captain’s heart lurches when he hears the _splash,_ only to see a single shark fin pop up a moment later, keeping pace beside the ship. An amused smile tugs at the corner of his mouth as Hongjoong observes his crew members’ astonished faces.

When Seonghwa finally hauls himself back onto the _Aurora,_ the captain doesn’t hesitate to press their lips together. They stand there, Hongjoong’s hand grasping the dripping shirt clinging to Seonghwa’s form deliciously, as the gathered crew members make fake gagging sounds around them.

“Get a room, please.” A voice calls out.

They separate, Hongjoong pulling back to give the soaked man a once-over. “I think we will.” He says lowly. “Yeosang, you’re on navigation duty.”

He barely sees the unamused look and subtle eye roll Yeosang gives him before he takes Seonghwa’s hand, leading him back to their quarters.

~~~/\~~~

_EPILOGUE_ — _A FEW MONTHS LATER_

One day, Hongjoong is standing under the beating sun on the deck of the _Aurora,_ working with his crew on some minor ship repairs and maintenance. A loud thunder of boots coming up the gangplank catches his attention, and the captain turns to find that it’s Mingi, back from his trip into the town they’re currently docked at. Mingi’s gaze wanders around the deck before stopping on Hongjoong and Seonghwa, who’s currently standing next to the captain. He immediately jogs over to the two.

“Oh Captain, you’ll never believe the rumor going around about you in town.” He says by way of greeting, his tone making it clear that whatever it is, he finds it especially amusing.

The captain hums. “It’s been a while since I’ve had rumors spread about me. What is it?”

“Well,” Mingi begins, a grin already plastered on his face. “There’s a story about you leaping off a merchant ship after looting it and riding a _shark_ back to your own ship.” He looks pointedly at Seonghwa when he says the last part.

Hongjoong, Seonghwa, and Mingi share a laugh at that—because for once, the rumors are completely true.

As it turns out, there are some perks to having a half-shark boyfriend.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Once again, kudos and comments are greatly appreciated!  
> If you want, you can follow me on Twitter: @rachxjoon and see me cry over my faves (mostly Hongjoong tbh)


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